The next day, the yellow sand retreated.
After the Roran people emerged from their underground shelters, they grabbed their packed bags from the night before and headed towards Sunagakure Village.
With the escort of Sunagakure Anbu along the way and Pakura leading a reception team ahead, there was no need to worry about safety.
As dusk approached and the last Roran residents set off, the vast Roran city was left with only the Roran Queen and her daughter Sara, along with the Fourth Kazekage, Rasa.
These few individuals had a solid reason for staying: to 'survey the gold mine'.
Neither the Sunagakure ninjas nor the Roran people had any objections. The former urgently needed funds for their village, while the latter considered the gold mine their lifeline, believing that the sooner it was developed, the sooner they would receive support from Sunagakure Village.
On a cleared area east of Roran City, the Roran Queen, her daughter, and the Kazekage were resting.
Rasa looked around at the desolate surroundings. The few scattered residences were all low, single-story buildings, a far cry from the tall structures in the heart of Roran City. He asked in confusion, "Your Majesty, aren't you going to the Hall of Worship? I heard that's where you communicate with the Dragon Vein."
"Kazekage-sama is certainly well-informed," the Roran Queen, Seba, shook her head.
"However, that's just a popular misconception. The Dragon Vein is vast; anywhere within Roran can connect with it. The reason for going to the Hall of Worship is merely for the sense of ritual, an ancient, inherited sense of ritual."
"I see."
Kazekage Rasa noticed the change in her address and nodded slightly, continuing his question, "But why isn't the sense of ritual emphasized this time?"
He didn't think it was because the Roran people had left. Habits formed over decades wouldn't be so easily discarded; even if it was just for show at the beginning, it had long since become ingrained.
"I'll answer that for her."
With a swooshing sound, Orochimaru appeared out of thin air on the flat ground. He smiled faintly at the Kazekage, saying, "What's about to happen will be a big event, and it's a bit dangerous in that tall tower."
As he spoke, his gaze turned to the mother and daughter, and he instructed, "You two, get ready. Things will begin shortly."
"I understand," the Roran Queen said, taking her daughter Sara's hand. After her gaze swept over the Kazekage, she turned to Orochimaru and asked, "Is Kazekage-sama the escort you prepared?"
She wasn't entirely clear about the exact relationship between Orochimaru and the Kazekage, but she instinctively felt that they were at most collaborators. Orochimaru seemed to place such importance on this matter, and having the Kazekage as an assistant felt somewhat inappropriate.
"Yes and no. The Kazekage is just lending an extra hand. As for the real escort... there's another candidate, and that's why I'm here."
Orochimaru's lips twitched into a slight smile, and he quickly formed hand seals, "Summoning Technique!"
A violent Chakra fluctuation erupted, followed by a puff of white smoke. The next moment, a figure strode out with a booming laugh.
"Hahaha... Orochimaru, I didn't expect you'd be the one asking for my help."
Orochimaru twitched the corner of his mouth but didn't reply.
If one were to consider who in the ninja world was most trustworthy, it would only be this person before him. Not even the old man he referred to or Tsunade could compare; they both had matters more important than their disciples and companions.
But as for him, the goal of world peace was too grand. Aside from that, he valued companionship and family above all else.
"..."
The Roran Queen looked at the tall man before her, her finely plucked eyebrows furrowed.
She was currently connected to the Dragon Vein and could sense that this was another powerful ninja with a similar nature to the Dragon Vein. If he were to protect them, there would be no need to worry about their safety.
Kazekage Rasa recognized the other's identity and exclaimed with emotion, "I was wondering who could earn such trust from Orochimaru-sama. It turns out to be Jiraiya-sama of the 'Konoha Sannin'."
"Oh, so it's the Kazekage of Sunagakure Village."
Jiraiya's eyes narrowed for a moment, and he then laughed heartily, "Thank you so much for your help earlier. If not for Kazekage-sama, our village's Jinchuriki would have been in danger."
Upon learning about the attack by the masked man, Jiraiya broke out in a cold sweat. Not being able to protect Minato already filled him with guilt; if Naruto had also died then, he could never forgive himself.
Kazekage Rasa smiled calmly, "Jiraiya-sama, you flatter me. Even without me, Konoha could have repelled the enemy."
"Alright, you two can save the mutual praise for later."
Orochimaru interrupted their pleasantries and said with a smile, "We have important matters to attend to."
Noticing Jiraiya's questioning look, he added, "If you want an explanation, we can discuss it later."
"Hmph, that's more like it." Jiraiya's gaze shifted to Sara and her mother, and he asked doubtfully, "Are these two the ones I'm supposed to protect? Do they really need protection?"
With his senses, he could tell that although they had no Chakra fluctuations, the intensity of their natural energy was even greater than his own.
"Some things can't be judged by appearances alone. You'll understand the reason later. I'm leaving now."
Orochimaru smiled, not offering further explanations. The relationship between the Dragon Vein and the Roran people, the ensuing uproar... they would all become clear with time.
This clone of his had almost depleted its Chakra to summon Jiraiya and now needed to go back and recover.
"You rascal... alright."
Watching Orochimaru vanish into thin air, Jiraiya sighed helplessly and turned his gaze back to Sara and her mother, then smiled again, "Please rest assured, ladies, with me here, at least your lives will be safe."
...
Outside the tall tower of the Hall of Worship in the center of Roran City, a giant snake coiled.
"Tsk tsk... this is a good spot. The ancient Roran people really knew how to choose."
Orochimaru smiled. Although the Dragon Vein was spread throughout Roran, this was undoubtedly its 'heart,' a crucial point he wouldn't let go of.
With that, he brought his hands together. Dust, sand, and pebbles came to life as if imbued with a spirit. Buildings within a hundred-meter radius melted like ice sculptures under intense heat, instantly turning into flowing water that spread across the sandy ground. Only a tall, four-legged stone cauldron remained, its sides carved with dragons and beasts, exuding an aura of ancient power.
"The cup designs you have there are quite strange, but they certainly have a sense of ritual."
Orochimaru admired his creation for a moment, then tilted his head upwards.
It was sunset. The sun had vanished from the western sky, leaving only the clouds tinged with pink.
"There's still a little time left. Perfect for making some final preparations."
He spread his hands, and a scroll unrolled in his palm. In the next instant, a nutrient capsule stored within was retrieved. This pale green liquid flowed like a column of water into the large cauldron.
This transplantation of First Hokage cells was different from all previous experiments.
His current form was nearly as large as a Tailed Beast. If he used the usual injection method, relying on blood flow for diffusion, the efficiency would be far too slow, and the strain on his heart would be severe.
Furthermore, the reaction to the First Hokage cells would inevitably be intense, and the supply of nutrients might not keep up.
For this reason, Orochimaru had prepared a new method long ago.
"Let's see how effective the Akimichi Clan's abilities are."
Orochimaru lifted the stone cauldron and guzzled its contents.
The pale green liquid surged down his throat, causing his abdomen to bulge noticeably in an instant. However, his serpentine body rippled and contracted, and as his swollen belly receded, his tail grew thicker.
Snakes were naturally creatures adept at swallowing prey and digesting them. Combined with the secret techniques of the Akimichi Clan, his abilities were further enhanced.
Nutrient fluid was continuously drawn from the scroll, and Orochimaru continued to drink without pause. This process lasted for a full hour.
The crescent moon hung above the sand dunes, and stars began to twinkle in the night sky. The faint interplay of moonlight and starlight cast a thin veil over the Roran Desert.
"Hoooh..."
Orochimaru lifted his head, his forked tongue flicking away the green liquid from his lips, and let out a long sigh.
"Tsk tsk... the way you look now, you're neither human nor snake. You're as fat as a pill bug."
The Genie Lamp tilted its head with a mischievous grin. Seeing Orochimaru's confused expression, it explained, "Pill bugs are a type of insect, well... not only are their bodies symmetrical from side to side, but also from top to bottom."
"It's nothing. It's just a minor matter, and I'll return to normal in a moment."
After a brief rest, Orochimaru took out a specially made syringe filled with the fused First Hokage cells from the scroll. A flicker of determination flashed in his eyes.
Without hesitation, he plunged the syringe, which was taller than a person, directly into his heart area. The plunger was slowly pushed, and the dark green solution was gradually injected into his body.
The next moment, a shrill scream was suppressed from Orochimaru's throat, a hoarse, low sound almost like a whimper.
A faint green spread from his heart, branching out like roots throughout Orochimaru's entire body. Soon, the pure white scales of the snake began to change color.
The greatest risk of the First Hokage cells transplantation exploded almost instantly, entering a critical phase.
This body, not inferior to a Tailed Beast, possessing a real physical form and gathering a large amount of natural energy, was the perfect breeding ground for the First Hokage cells to grow. Driven by their biological instincts, they began to grow ferociously.
Countless tree branches pierced through the scales of the enormous snake's body and began to sprout and grow.
While the immense natural energy of the Roran Desert aided Orochimaru, it clearly benefited the First Hokage cells even more.
After all, the original form of the First Hokage cells, the Divine Tree that grew across the entire planet a thousand years ago, was initially intended to absorb earth energy and bear Chakra fruits.
Its relationship with the Dragon Vein was like a predator and its prey, far more intimate than Orochimaru's connection to it.
"No matter how many contingency plans were made, without external interference, ordinary ninjas truly have no resistance to First Hokage cells."
Witnessing this scene, the Genie Lamp couldn't help but lament the power of the Divine Tree's properties, causing even the Sage Mode enhanced Orochimaru to lose focus and approach collapse.
"However, it's not that simple to deal with him."
The next moment, the Genie Lamp took control of Orochimaru's body. The violent changes occurring in Orochimaru instantly froze, as if time had stopped.
And Orochimaru, whose mind had been destabilized by the influence of the Divine Tree's properties, regained his clarity.
In the space of consciousness, Orochimaru panted slightly, "I still underestimated how terrifying the First Hokage cells are."
"That's not entirely true. If you hadn't chosen the Dragon Vein as the location, the outbreak of the First Hokage cells wouldn't be this terrifying."
The Genie Lamp examined the still restless First Hokage cells, "How is it? Can you handle it now?"
Orochimaru pondered for a moment before replying, "The cause of the loss of control is the outbreak of the First Hokage cells, which caused my Senjutsu Chakra level to not keep up. Help me condense as much Senjutsu Chakra as possible."
"An easy task." The Genie Lamp chuckled softly and immediately began to condense.
Whether it was the body infected by the riotous First Hokage cells or the scattered spirit affected by contact with the Divine Tree's properties, they began to merge with natural energy as usual, gathering into Senjutsu Chakra in fixed proportions.
Throughout the process, the trees that had formed from the previous mutation began to crumble and dissipate as their energy was siphoned away.
"Tsk tsk... in previous tests, the limit for Senjutsu Chakra in your body was thirty percent. Shall I increase it to sixty percent?"
The Genie Lamp said these terrifying words with a relaxed air. Orochimaru's eyelids twitched, and he felt his mental energy rapidly draining. He quickly said,
"No, forty percent, no, thirty-five percent is enough."
Senjutsu Chakra also had a limit; exceeding a certain threshold could lead to a loss of control and be as poisonous as actual poison.
For thousands of years, countless impatient ninjas had turned into stone statues because of this.
"Is that so? What a pity, I wanted to test your limits," the Genie Lamp said with a hint of regret in its tone.
A moment later, it spoke again, "The quantity should be enough. Be careful, I'm going to return the body to you."
"Okay!"
Orochimaru's eyes sharpened. As he regained control of his body, he felt both immense power and profound weakness simultaneously.
Undoubtedly, there was an unprecedentedly powerful Senjutsu Chakra within him. On the other hand, his body had been excessively drained by the Genie Lamp and was in a weak state.
However, this was not necessarily a bad thing for Orochimaru.
The growth of the First Hokage cells was rooted in the physical body. But now, this soil was extremely barren. Although Orochimaru's physique would allow him to recover quickly, this intervening period was a perfect window of opportunity.
Orochimaru's eyes narrowed, and he said solemnly, "This is a great opportunity, and we must not waste it. We must seize this moment to suppress the First Hokage cells."
Almost instantly, the condensed Senjutsu Chakra spread throughout his entire body, opposing the First Hokage cells that were absorbing natural energy to recover.
However, although the latter were being suppressed, their recovery speed was steady.
Orochimaru was startled for a moment, then suddenly understood.
This body was, after all, his own. He could help suppress others, but he couldn't control his own instincts.
Hoping to evolve through confrontation was simply impossible.
"I must go with the flow."
In an instant, Orochimaru made up his mind, "I need to grow faster than the First Hokage cells."
To achieve this, it was necessary to accelerate his own growth and weaken others.
The former had already reached its peak with the help of the Genie Lamp, while the latter...
Orochimaru's expression turned grim, and he suddenly let out a sharp cry.
Almost the next moment, his entire body was covered in a transparent film, tinged with a faint azure hue.
With a hissing sound, Orochimaru's ten fingers extended extremely sharp nails, each like a blade, and he frantically scratched at his face.
The film was clearly very tough, but under continuous attack, it gradually showed signs of damage.
Orochimaru pressed his advantage, proceeding to tear at the film. Soon, the blood-stained film began to separate from his face.
He... was beginning to molt.
---
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